The University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team would be most thankful if it can get its offense back.

One week after scoring 96 points in their season opener, the Screaming Eagles managed to score only 54 — and hit just eight of 19 second-half shots — in game two.

Next up is tonight's first round of the Bill Joergens Memorial Classic, with USI (2-0) — having risen from No. 12 to No. 9 in the latest NABC/Division II poll — facing the University of Virginia-Wise (3-4), an NAIA team, at 7:30.

The first game, starting at 5:15, will pit No. 5 Bellarmine (2-0) against Philander Smith (4-2), another NAIA squad.

Granted, part of USI's problem was the absence of 6-foot-9 forward Keith DeWitt. After scoring 25 points in the opening win over Kentucky State, he was sidelined indefinitely with a knee injury. But another problem stems from the guards.

Wischmeier, averaging a team-high 17.5 points per game, blames himself for some of that. He said he hasn't set good screens, which would help free the guards to shoot.

"When it works, the guards get open jump shots up top (near the free-throw line)," he said. "If not, the guards start (the offense) all over again."

The guards in question are senior Kenyon Smith, who has only taken two shots and is averaging 3.0 points, and junior Lawrence Thomas, who is 4-for-12 from the field and averaging 7.5 points.

Coach Rodney Watson believes some of the problem has to do with the newer players. There are five of them, minus DeWitt, and they're trying to adjust to an offense that mostly relies on movement.

"We've got to get harder action away from the ball — better screens and better spacing," said Watson. "It's not, 'I've got to go to this spot (on the floor).' It's two to five people working together, sometimes three guys working together. It's understanding when to reverse the ball. It comes with experience."

It's complicated. Wischmeier said there are various reads a player must make based on what the defense is allowing USI to do. Those reads determine where a USI player goes to create open shots. Meanwhile, inside players such as Wischmeier (and newcomers Aaron Nelson, Manny Ogunfolu, Orlando Rutledge and Chuck Jones) have to set screens to open up space for teammates and themselves.

"I think I have a very good grasp of the offense," said Wischmeier. "Its base is exactly the same as what I played in high school. I feel I know what to do and I feel (his teammates) should know what to do. It just gets frustrating at times. I need to help a little bit more."

Watson isn't worried.

"It will come; it just takes awhile," he said. "The cool thing is we aren't dealing with a bunch of selfish ball hogs."